Annual Plan 2022-23

Variations

While there are no significant or material changes to our work programme, some variations have been identified. Key changes include:

• Animal Shelter Redevelopment – this will now be completed in 2022/23 due to delays with the design work. The capital spending and loan funding will be carried forward.
• Hood Aerodrome Developments – some aspects of construction will now occur in 2022/23 while the runway extension is dependent on the purchase of land and is now more likely to commence during 2023/24.
• Property Renewals – a range of renewals that were scheduled in 2021/22 have been deferred and funding will be carried forward.  A lack of contractors to complete the work has contributed to this.

Rates

We are forecasting an average rates increase of 6.9%. This is 1.3% more than we projected for Year 2 in the LTP but less than the limit we set in our financial strategy of 7.3%

The key drivers for this rate increase are:

• forecast rises in roading and urban water supply expenditure
• increasing costs to deliver services (inflation)
• changing demand for some services.

We have worked hard to minimise the impact of these external drivers on rates, but the drivers of this increase are a result of external trends and conditions that are out of our control, including COVID-19 implications, economic conditions, inflation and the labour market.

Fees and Charges

For the 2022/23 financial year most fees and charges are increasing by no more than the rate of inflation.  Key exceptions include:

• Solid waste – fee increases reflect the increase in the Government’s waste minimisation levy and the inflationary impacts on our operational costs.
• Regulatory services – some fees are increasing by more than inflation to better align with the cost of delivering these services for our community. Fees that are increasing include:
  • fees for food premise verifications
  • licences to operate some businesses
  • noise control call outs
  • removal of abandoned vehicles (charged to the offender)
  • Building Warrant of Fitness fees (for commercial building owners)
  • some building and resource consent fees.
  • Building Services are also introducing new fees to recover the cost of travel to more remote areas of the district and for time invested in assessing minor variations to building consents.
• Corridor Access Fees – these have not been reviewed for some time and are being adjusted over two years to align with the cost of providing this service.  The new fees will include provision for inspections and administrative time rather than charging for these separately.

Consultation Opportunities

We’re not consulting on the 2022/23 Annual Plan. This isn’t unusual in Year 2 of an LTP as nothing significant or material has changed since we consulted last year.

However, there’s plenty coming up that we’re keen to discuss with our community.

Council projects include:

• Our Climate Change Action Plan
• The Local Alcohol Policy review
• Our regional Smokefree Policy Review
• The Public Art policy Review
• Our Rangatahi Strategy refresh
• The review of the Combined Wairarapa District Plan

Sharing your ideas 

Got ideas you want to share now? Your thoughts and ideas are welcome any time!   

• You can send us feedback at any time via our complaint, compliment or fix it forms or by calling 06 370 6300.   
• You are also welcome to drop into our office at 161 Queen Street between 9.00 am and 4.00 pm to tell us your feedback or ideas.   
• We have set up a service level survey where you can tell us what you would like Council to consider for future plans:  
  • What new or improved services would you be willing to pay more for?    
  • What services would you be willing to reduce to make savings?  

Any feedback received by the end of July 2022 will help shape options for our service-level discussions later in the year.   

Other Information